NEW DELHI, 14 June 2021: In a major boost to the agri-exports potential of the eastern region, the first commercial consignment of Geographical Indications (GI) certified Jardalu mangoes from Bhagalpur, Bihar was exported today to the United Kingdom.
The Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA), in collaboration with the Bihar government, Indian High Commission & Invest India, exported juicy & aromatic mangoes which were packed and treated at APEDA packhouse in Lucknow. With distinct aroma and taste, Jardalu mangoes from the Bhagalpur district of Bihar received GI certification in 2018.
APEDA has been initiating measures to boost mango exports from non-traditional regions. Recently, a week-long Indian mango promotion programme was organized in Bahrain where 16 varieties of the fruit including three GI certified Khirsapati&Lakshmanbhog (West Bengal) and Jardalu (Bihar) were displayed at super stores of importer Al Jazeera group.
APEDA has been conducting virtual buyer-seller meets and festival to promote mango exports. APEDA recently organised a mango festival in Berlin, Germany as well as in Japan in collaboration with Indian embassies.
APEDA in collaboration with the Indian embassy, Seoul and the Indian Chamber of Commerce in Korea, in May 2021 organised a Virtual Buyer Seller Meet. Due to the ongoing Covid19 pandemic, the export promotion programmes were not possible to be organized physically. APEDA organized a virtual meet to provide a platform to the exporters and importers of mangoes from India and South Korea. India exporteed a consignment of GI-certified Banganapalli andother variety of Survarnarekha mangoes sourced from farmers in Krishna and Chittor districts of Andhra Pradesh.
The mangoes exported to South Korea, were treated, cleaned, and shipped from the APEDA assisted and registered packhouse with a vapor heat treatment facility at Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh, and exported by IFFCO Kisan SEZ (IKSEZ). This was the first export consignment sent by IKSEZ, which is a subsidiary of IFFCO, a multi-state cooperative with a membership of 36,000 societies.
Mango in India is also referred to as ‘king of fruits’ and referred to as Kalpavriksha (wish-granting tree) in ancient scriptures. While most of the states in India have mango plantations, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Karnataka have a major share in the total production of the fruit.
Mangoes are processed by the APEDA registered packhouse facilities and then exported to various regions and countries including the Middle-east, European Union, the USA, Japan, and South Korea.
Image credit: jagran.com
